Stuffing machine



Dec. 10, 1929. G. c. KIDWELL STUFFING MACHINE Filed June 19, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet l gm made"; G, 6.1%? We 1 Z 1929. G. c. KIDWELL 1,739,034

STUFFING MACHINE Filed June 19, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1929- G. c.KIDWELL 1,739,034

STUFFING MACHINE Filed June 1.9, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 Sheets-Sheet 4M n M Dec. 10, 1929. G. c. KIDWELL STUFFING MACHINE Filed June 1.9, 1928a 6 W K G Dec. 10,, 1929 Urrnn srarns PATENT OFHE GROVER C. KIDWELL, FMADISON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO SCOTT KIDWELL JACKET (30., 0F MADISON,INDIANA, A FIRM STUFFING MACHINE Application filed June 19,

This invention relates to a stuffing machine and more particularly to amachine for stuffing cork in tubular fabric containers.

An important object of the invention is to provide a constructioneliminating packing of the cork and permitting the use of a continuously reciprocating packer in the packing operatlon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction such thatcork may be fed through feed tubes in which the packers reciprocatewithout interference by the packers.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved means for controlling the feed of the cork to the feed tubes.

A still further obj ect of the invention is to provide automatic meansfor determining the pressure at which the cork is packed in thecontainers.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provideanapparatus for packing cork in the wall pockets of containers similarto that shown in my prior Patent, No. 1,58Z,655, granted June 8, 1926,for shipping jackets for ice cream containers.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is showna preferred embodiment of my in vention and wherein Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a stuffing machine constructed in accordance with myinvention;

Figure 2 is a view at right angles to the view of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure at is a section on the line H of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a detail of the cam control mechanism 1 Figure 7 is anenlarged detail sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10generally design ates a suitable base having arising therefrom standards11, arranged upon the four corners 1928. Serial a. 288,627.

of a rectangle. The upper ends of these standards are connected to oneanother by horizontal braces 12 and upon two of these braces arearranged bearings 13 for a drive shaft lt having a centrally disposedcrank 15. Other bearing supports for this shaft may be provided at 16,if so desired. Supported from the standards are opposed verticallyextending slides 17 with which coact the ends of a cross head 18. Thiscross head is connected with the crank by a connecting rod 19. The shaft14 may be driven in any suitable manner.

Beneath the. slides, a hopper 20 is supported from the standards. Thishopper is in the form of an open-bottomed receptacle having downwardlysloping sides and has extended therethrough a feed tube unit, generallydesignated at 21. This feed tube unit consists of an annular series ofvertically extending tubes 22 surrounded intermediate their ends by aband 23 secured to each thereof and to the hopper. The upper ends of thetubes are secured to a ring 24, so that the rings are held in fixedposition with relation to one another and the hopper. Mounted foroscillation upon the ring 24 is an agitator ring 25 from which dependagitator pins 26 corresponding in number and arrangement to the tubes.The tubes immediately above the lower end of the hopper are eachprovided in their outer faces with feed openings 27 adj acent whichthelower ends of the pins extend. Mounted upon the supports and havingdriving connection with the shaft 13, as indicated at 28, is a shaft 29from which is driven a vertically extending shaft 30, the upper end ofwhich mounts a disk 31 having an eccentrically disposed pin 32 connectedby a link 33 with the agitator ring 25.

Slidably surrounding the tube assembly is a feed control gate 34 whichis movable vertically upon the feed tube assembly from a point where itcovers the feed openings 27 to a point where these openings are fullyexposed and placed in communication with the hopper. The spaces betweenadjacent feed tubes between the lower end of the feed gate when in thelast named oosition and the lower end oz? the hopper locked to preventpassage of material therebetween, as indicated at 35. Secured to theouter face ofthe feed gate at diametrically opposed points are pins 36,with which engage the forked ends 37 of arms 38 secured to a rock shaft39. This shaft 39 has a third arm 40 to which is secured a verticallyextending push rod 41 coacting with a quick-action cam 42 mounted upon ashaft 43 supportedfrom a pair of standards. This shaft'43 has securedthereto a gear 44 retained by a pawl 45 against rotation in onedirection and having meshing therewith a gear 46. An oscillating arm 47associated with this gearand extending into the path of the cross head18 or some other vertically reciprocating part actuated from the crankshaft is provided with a ratchet 48 for advancing the same, so that ateach reciprocation, the shaft 43 is advanced in its rotation. After-apredetermined number of reciproca tions, the cam 42 engaging the pushrod 41 rocks the shaft'39, elevating the'gate and exposing the feedopenings. This occurs as the cross head is moving upwardly. The crosshead 18 has secured thereto a foot 49 which engages one of the arms 38as the cross head moves downwardly upon its next stroke to force thegate downwardly and again close the feed openings;

- Secured tothe cross head 18 is a supporting plate 50 having securedthereto the upper ends of vertically e'xtending'plungers 51corresponding in number and arrangement to the feed tubes 22 andextending 'theremto.

Each plunger 51 at its upper end 52 is made as a substantial fit in thefeed tube but slides freely therein. From a point adjacent its upper endand which, always in the reciprocation of the plungers, lies above theopening to. its lower end, it is reduced in size, as indicated at 53, sothat ample clearance is provided between the walls of the tube and theplunger. he lower end of the plunger is formed with a foot 54 which,when the plunger is its lowermost position, extends below the lower endof the tube. v Thatportion of the lowerend of the tube in which this Ifoot operates is'slightly increased in size, as

indicated at 55, so that the clearance provided between the plunger andthe wall of the tube ismaintained.- A

In thebaseand in axial alignment with the tube assembly 21 is a pilottube 56 within which is vertically slidably mounted a tension drum 57,.This drum has co'acting therewith a compression brake 58 controllablethrougha lever 59 which may be set to secure a desired tension of thebrake upon the drum by a segment 60 with which a latch carried bythelever coacts. The upper end of the tension drum has secured thereto aring 61 upon which is seated the'lower end of a sheet metal form 62adapted to interiorly fit the jacket 63,.the pockets'64 of which are tobe stuffed. A Windlass-structure 65 is mounted upon the standards and isconnectible with the drum at 66 to elevate the same.

The particular construction above dcscribed is intended for use instuffing the pockets of a jacket such as illustrated in my prior patentabove identified. In use thereof, the jacket is slipped over the form()2 and then elevated until the lower ends of the plungers, when intheir lowermost position, are disposed at a point adjacent the lowerends of the pockets. The drum 5? is then sccured by the brake 56 whichis set at the desired tension. The shaft 14 is then set in motion. Thefeeding is carried out in the manner previously described and thereciprocation of the plungers forces the cork end therethrough into thebottoms of the pockets and packs the same thereagainst. When this corkhas been compressed to a predetermined de gree, the resistance tomovement of the plungers exceeds the resistance of the drum 57 tomovement, with the result that the drum 57 will be forced downwardlythrough the brake, providing space in the pockets (54 for the receptionof fresh cork to be packed by the plungers. In this manner, the state ofcompression of cork in the pockets may be very readily determined. Ithas been discovered by practical tests that with a construction such asillustrated and described, packing of the cork either about the plungersor in the hopper is avoided. This is an important featureof theinvention since cork is a material extremely difiicult to handle, due toits tendency to pack. The loose it of the plungers provides a spacethrough which the cork may move downwardly without interference and thissame space provides a storage room for cork which, due to lack of space,cannot pass from the lower end of the tube into the pocket 64 in whichthe plunger is operating.

It will be obvious that the construction hereinbefore set forth iscapable of a certain range of change and modification.

I claim 1. In apparatus for stufling receptacles with yieldablesubstances in a predetermined state of compression, tubular feedingmeans for the substance, a plurality of plungers slidably mounted insaid feeding means for compressing the substance in the receptacle, asupport for the receptacle mounted to move in the direction of movementof the plunger and adjustable friction means resisting movement of thesupport.

2. In apparatus for stufiing receptacles with yieldable substances in apredetermined state of compression, tubular feeding means for thesubstance, a plurality of plungers slidably mounted in said feedingmeans for compressing substance in the receptacle, a support for thereceptacle yieldable in the direction of movement of the plunger, and anadjustable friction brake engaging the support to resist movementthereof.

3. ln apparatus for stutling receptacles K? which the substance maypass, means for feeding the substance through the side Wall of the tubeand a support for the receptacle yieidable longitudinally of the plungerupon he application of a predetermined pressure thereto.

ln apparatus for stuiling receptacles with con; and the like, a tubeadapted to ex tend i" to the receptacle and substantially fit the 51s, aplunger having a lit in the tube providing a space therebetween throughivl'ch the substance may pass, means for feeding the substance throughthe side Wall oi: the tube, a support for the receptacle mounted toshift longitudinally of the plunger and adjustable friction meansresistmovement of the support.

6. ln apparatus for stuiiing receptacles With yicldable substances in apredetermined state oil compression, a support for the receptacle, meansfor feeding the substance to the receptacle, a reciprocatable plungerfor packing the substance in the receptacle and means permittingseparation of the support and plunger and resisting such separationuntil the material packed in the receptacle to a predetermined extent.

l. in apparatus for packing receptacles with yield-able substances, ahopper adapted to receive the substance, a support adapted to receivethe receptacle, a tube extending from the hop or into the receptacle andarranged upon the support, a reciprocatable plunger operating Within thetube and spaced from the Walls thereof, the tube Within the hopperhaving an opening, a gate controlling the opening, means forreciprocating the plunger and means operated by reciprocation of theplunger tor periodically opening and closing said gate,

8. ln apparatus for packing receptacles with yieldable substances, ahopper adapted to receive the substance, a support adapted to receivethe receptacle, a tube extending from the hopper into the receptacle andarranged upon the support, a reciprocatable plunger operating Within thetube and spaced from the walls thereof, the tube Within the hopperhaving an opening, a gate controlling the said gate, and an agitatoroperating Within the hopper adjacent the opening of the tube.

9. ln apparatus for packing receptacles with yieldable substances, ahopper adapted to receive the substance, a support adapted to receivethe receptacle, a tube extending from the hopper into the receptacle andarranged upon the support, a reciprocatable plunger operating Within thetube and spaced from the Walls thereof, the tube Within the hopperhaving an opening, a gate controlling the opening, means forreciprocating the plunger, means operated by reciprocation of theplunger for periodically opening and closing said gate, a support forthe receptacle 1novable in the direction. of movement of the plunger andmeans trictionally resisting movement of the support.

1.0. in apparatus for packing receptacles with yieldable substances, ahopper adapted to receive the substance, a support adapted to receivethe receptacle, a tube extending from the hopper into the receptacle andarranged upon tl support, a reciprocatable plunger operating Within thetube and spaced from the walls thereof, the tube Within the hopper anopening, a gate controlling the g, means for reciprocating the plunger,table shaft having a cam, ratchet mech- @PCltl-Lfilll by reciprocationof the for periodically advancing said 3 a rock shaft having an armengaging said gate and a second arm provided with a plunger coactingwith said cam to open the gate, and means moving With the plunger forclosing said gate.

in testimony vvhcreot l hereunto aliiir iny s1 gnature.

GBOVER G. KIDVVELL.

